Myosin assembly critical for the enzyme activity of smooth muscle myosin phosphatase: effects of MgATP, ionic strength, and Mg(2+).

We suggested that an assembled form of phosphorylated myosin (P-myosin) might exhibit higher affinity for smooth muscle myosin phosphatase (SMMP) than dissociated P-myosin on the basis of the effect of MgATP [Sato and Ogawa (1999) J. Biochem. 126, 787-797]. To further deepen our understanding, we examined the SMMP activity and P-myosin assembly with various ionic strengths and Mg(2+) concentrations, with and without MgATP, all of which are well known to be critical for myosin assembly. The structure of myosin molecules was directly observed by electron microscopy using a rotary shadowing procedure, which was found to be consistent with the sedimentation assay. We found that the SMMP activity was always high when P-myosin was assembled. MgATP, which disassembled P-myosin mostly into a folded conformation, in contrast, decreased the enzyme activity. We also found that glycerol had a dissociating action on P-myosin, primarily dissociating it into an extended conformation, resulting in reduced SMMP activity, and that increases in the ionic strength and Mg(2+) (>5 mM) inhibited SMMP. These results indicate that myosin assembly is essential for SMMP activity.